Opponents are trying to block him through legal challenges, but all nine members of the Constitutional Court, which is expected to rule on the referendum in January, were appointed by the pro-Uribe Congress.

The flighting of the "damning new evidence against Jacob Zuma" said to be included in an affidavit before the Constitutional Court is a just a ploy to discredit Zuma, the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) said on Saturday.

The Constitutional Court should be the highest (apex) court for all matters, constitutional and non-constitutional with the Supreme Court of Appeal as an intermediate court of appeal with the proviso that this does not lead to undue delays in the hearing of appeals.

The Constitutional Court should be the highest (apex) court for all matters, constitutional and non-constitutional, with the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) as an intermediate court of appeal, with the proviso that this should not lead to undue delays in the hearing of appeals.

"Unfortunately as a young democracy, we still have a few in our society who are yet to be convinced that the Constitutional Court is the highest court in this country, particularly on this issue which has been argued on Constitutional grounds by both parties since the beginning of the case at the Cape High Court earlier last year," she wrote.